True
by skysky15
Summary: One simple word leads to a lot of a whole lot of truth telling between our two favorite detectives.


"Liv, let me in," Elliot called through the door, knocking hard. They had had a fight at work. Now, they always fought, it was a usual occurrence for them. However, this fight was different. This fight had gone too far. He had gone too far, and he had to fix it. "Please, Liv, just let me in. I just want to apologize," Elliot continued to plead through the door, running a hand down in his face in frustration. More aimed at himself than Olivia. He waited a moment, just listening, trying to hear any movement on the other side, and failing. "Liv, come on, baby. I'm begging you here," Elliot continued, desperation clear in his voice.

Finally, the door swung open, revealing Olivia, in a tank top and short bed shorts, her hair up in a messy bun, an exhausted look on her face,"What the hell do you want, Elliot? Haven't you done enough damage for one night?" she asked, placing one hand on her hip, the other staying on the door, ready to slam it in Elliot's face at any moment.

Elliot noticed the use of his full name. This really was serious. "Liv, I, I'm sorry about what I said. It was arrogant, and cocky, and rude, and-" he started to list.

Olivia cut him off,"True," she said simply.

Elliot's face contorted in confusion,"What?" he asked, not believing he heard her correctly, or understood her.

Olivia sighed heavily, stepping aside to let him in,"This is really not something I want to admit in the middle of the hallway," she said, closing the door behind him, not looking at him as she locked it and headed for the couch, knowing he was right behind her. They could always sense where the other was when they were in a room together, even without seeing the other one, they just knew. "Look, El, everything you said, it was true. It was also, arrogant, cocky, and rude, but it was true. You are the reason none of my relationships work out. Either, they are jealous because we spend so much time together, or they think we are sleeping together, or I compare them to you, realize they aren't hat I want, and dump them. They never live up to the standards I have set. There is only one man who lives up to those standards, and that's because those standards were based on that man. The thing is, El, that man doesn't want me. He never has, and I doubt he ever will. After he got divorced, I was hopeful that he would make a move, but he didn't. I kept hoping, and hoping, but weeks went by, and slowly my hope faded," she explained, shaking her head,"Frankly, I was stupid for getting my hopes up. He can, he can do one hundred times better than me," she finished.

Elliot was speechless. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Had Olivia just said that she loved him? "Liv, baby, before I make a fool of myself, please just confirm that you are talking about me," he requested, raising an eyebrow at him.

Olivia rolled her eyes,"Yes, Elliot, I was talking about you," she confirmed, leaning back into the corner of the couch, away from Elliot, preparing herself for the let down she was sure was about to happen.

Elliot scooted closer, taking Olivia's hands in his,"Liv, that, you don't understand how long I've waited or you to say that. You're wrong though. I do want you. I have wanted you since the day that you walked into the precinct and I first laid eyes on you. I will want you for the rest of my life. I just, I wasn't sure that you wanted me, too," he said, shaking his head,"I didn't want to risk losing you as my best friend, as my partner. I hate not being able to hold you, and kiss you, and tell you I love you, like I want to, but if I lost you as my best friend or my partner, or, God forbid, both, I would die. You, you give me strength, Liv. When Kathy left, and got custody of the kids, I thought I would never be ok again. I thought I would never laugh, never smile again. I could deal with losing Kathy, but those kids, they were, they are my life. Seeing them every other weekend and on every other holiday still isn't enough, but I'm surviving. You want to know why, baby? It's because I have you. Liv, you came over that first week I was without them every single night. You brought food, and a cheesy movie, and you sat on my couch all night, eating, watching the movie, and talking with me. You kept my world together, Liv, and I could never, ever repay you for that," he explained, watching the tears roll down her cheeks as he spoke. Elliot sighed,"I guess, what I'm trying to say, Liv, is that you can stop hoping," he finished with a small, warm smile, a few tears rolling down his own cheeks.

Olivia sniffled, not removing her hard from Elliot's to wipe her tears away, allowing them to fall from her chin instead,"What are you saying, El?" she asked softly.

"I'm saying that I love you, Olivia, and I want to be with you," Elliot said, looking at her hopefully.

Olivia smiled,"I love you, too, El," she said, whisper quiet, admitting it out loud for the first time. Elliot said nothing, leaning forward and kissing her instead, not being able to fully express his emotions to her with words, knowing that this kiss could get the message across much better than any words he could ever come up with.

And to think, if Olivia hasn't uttered that one, simple word, none of what was just admitted, would have been admitted. True.

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**Just a one-shot idea that I couldn't get out of my head. Hope you guys liked it! Let me know what you thought!**


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